Hawaiin Eye

Hawaiian Eye

1959 - United States

Private eye series billed as 77 Sunset Strip in Hawaii, and with good reason. Both series were produced by Warner Bros., and it was not unusual for the characters in one show to turn up in the other. Stars of the series (apart from the weekly parade of beautiful women) were Robert Conrad as Tom Lapaka and Anthony Eisley as Tracy Steele , two young and handsome private detectives who were based in the poolside offices of the Hawaiian Village Hotel. 

The main leads alternated with each episode and both had assistance from local nightclub songstress "Cricket" Blake as played by Connie Stevens and local cab driver Kazuo Kim, who was played by a Hawaiian actor with the name Poncie Ponce (honest). Grant Williams joined the cast as fellow detective Greg MacKenzie and Eisley left the series in 1962, his gap being filled for the final season by Troy Donahue as the hotel's social director.

Published on December 20th, 2018. Written by Laurence Marcus for Television Heaven.

Read Next...

The Four Just Men

Based on a novel by Edgar Wallace, The Four Just Men was one of the first series that mixed an all-star cast, crime-fighting adventure and exotic locations.

Also released in 1959

Knight Errant TV series

"Knight Errant '59. Quests undertaken, dragons defeated, damsels rescued. Anything, anywhere, for anyone, so long as it helps. Fees according to means"

Also released in 1959

Juke Box Jury

Popular music show of the 1960s where a guest panel listened to the latest releases and predicted whether or not they'd be a 'Hit' or a 'Miss'

Also released in 1959

Interpol Calling

The International Police investigate everything from murder to blackmail, drugs to hijacking and assassination to slavery.

Also released in 1959

McCloud TV series

A fish-out-of-water cowboy lawman brings his easy-going Western style of justice to the bustling streets of New York City

Also tagged Us Cop Show

Bonanza

Running for 14 years on it's native NBC network, Bonanza was set on the vast Ponderosa timber and cattle ranch in Nevada in the 1860's. The show was notable for being the first TV Western to be shot in colour.

Also released in 1959